MAKING IMPROVEMENTS!

IMPROVEMENTS: Better Than Yesterday? Better Than At The Start?

Those are the questions we ask at the end of every session! The answers tells us if we have done our jobs right!

Improvements. Regression. Progression. Next level. This is what it is to work with a project horse (or any horse for that matter). Most days are pretty awesome once the process begins and the acceptance of the “new reality” settles in. On those “bad days” you wonder why in the hell you chose to take on a “project” in the first place. Yesterday was a bad day. Today was a GOOD DAY.

To be honest the ante was upped a bit after yesterday. No fooling around, no slack or latitude. The “yes sir” and “right now” standards were firmly in place. The pace was a bit more intense as well. Ask, Tell, Corrections happened on the 2 count (one-and-two) instead of the usual four count. Reward and relaxation happened faster still and lasted longer between “asking” for something else. In short the goal was to make it VERY clear that a “yes sir, right now” response was the BEST way to get the release/reward Cearra wanted.

She got the point. She got the point pretty quickly. We had a “zero tolerance” attitude for sass and silliness. Sass came out once (because Cearra is a young mare and it was sunny/warm outside). We let her commit to the sass and then shut it down firmly. Never showed up again. Things that make you go “hmmmmn.”

An energetic round pen and ground work session followed by some work on the trail course and obstacles and wrapping up with some NICE schooling circles produced a long session, wet saddle pad and concentrated training. Everything revolved around asking as “soft” and “light” as possible, finding the response point and doing it all over again. We have one more day of “not rain” in the forecast so we’ll do this again tomorrow. This mare needs consistent work at this juncture in her development. Sitting for a month (or more) without “real work” did not help. No one’s fault but the Season. Yesterday was the “old Cearra” and today it was all “new and improved Cearra.” We like working with her better.

Sometimes you have to go backwards to move forwards. What you tolerate, you encourage. Welcome to working with horses.